Begonia plant named ‘Grace’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Grace’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; fully double flowers with numerous tepals that are bright red in color and are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GRACE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known asElatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Grace’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofBegonia×hiemalis ‘Bela Lilacpink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.20,129. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plantsof ‘Bela Lilacpink’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo,The Netherlands in June, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttingstaken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlandssince July, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Begoniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Grace’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Grace’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Fully double flowers with numerous tepals that are bright red        in color and are held above and beyond the foliar plane.    -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent,‘Bela Lilacpink’, in flower color as plants of ‘Bela Lilacpink’ havedark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis‘Barkos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,523. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the newBegonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Barkos’ in leaf serration asleaves of plants of ‘Barkos’ were not as serrated as leaves of plants ofthe new Begonia. In addition, plants of the new Begonia and ‘Barkos’differed slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Grace’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close up views of the upper andlower surfaces of typical leaves (right) and upper, lateral and lowersurfaces of developing and open flowers of ‘Grace’ (left).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Ermelo, The Netherlands and undercommercial Begonia cultural practices. During the production of theplants, the average day temperature was 20° C. and the average nighttemperature was 18° C. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographsand description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Grace’.-   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of    Begonia×hiemalis ‘Bela Lilacpink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.    20,129.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to orange brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density; plants of            the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant            habit, inverted triangle; freely branching with good stem            and stem base strength; flowers are double and positioned            above the foliar plane.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous growth habit; suitable for            13-cm and larger containers; under optimal environmental and            cultural conditions, usually about twelve weeks are required            to produce proportional 13-cm potted plants from cuttings;            vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering            shoots are formed at upper nodes.        -   Plant height.—About 26.1 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 34 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10.6 cm. Diameter: About            9 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Angle: About 40° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B to            146C heavily tinged with close to 176C.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About            10.8 cm. Width: About 11.3 cm. Shape: Deltoid to reniform.            Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; asymmetric. Margin: Bi-serrate.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture,            lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern:            Palmate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            N137C to N137D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            148B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than            between 139A and 147A; venation, close to 143A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B; venation,            close to 144A. Petioles: Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm by 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 176A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 176B to 176C. Stipules:            Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with tepals arranged in            axillary compound cymes; usually eight flowers per cyme;            about 160 flowers develop per plant; numerous cymes in            flower simultaneously; flowers face upright to outwardly and            are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six            weeks after pinching; plants flower continuously year round            regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and            more abundantly from mid-February until November in the            Northern Hemisphere.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on            the plant; flowers not persistent; flowering plants have            excellent postproduction longevity and typical maintain good            substance for about six weeks under interior conditions.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 13.6 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm to            1.4 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate, flattened. Color: Between            146D and 152D heavily tinged with between 53A and 185A.        -   Flowers.—Shape: Rounded; fully double; rose-like. Diameter:            About 6.8 cm. Depth (height): About 3.8 cm.        -   Tepals and tepaloids.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per            flower: Numerous, typically about 48 per flower in multiple            whorls. Length: About 3.2 cm to 3.8 cm. Width: About 2.9 cm            to 4 cm. Shape: Broadly obcordate to obcordate. Apex:            Rounded. Margin: Laciniate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 53A; towards the base, close to 53B            to 53C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 53B; towards            the base, close to 53D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 46B; towards the base, close to 53C. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 47A; towards the base, between 47B and            53D; outer petals with random sectors of close to 148B.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Two, opposite;            sessile. Length: About 2.9 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color, upper            surface: Close to 53A to 53D marbled with close to 143A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 146B; towards the margins,            close to 53A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8.3 cm. Angle: About 40° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 152A to            152B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Angle: Erect. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 174B and 177B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: If            present, deformed. Stigma: Not observed. Style length: About            3 mm. Style color: Close to 179D. Ovary: Not observed.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Begonia has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to    USDA Hardiness Zone 10.

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Grace’ as illustrated anddescribed.